Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-04-11
Small Fruit Cultivation.


ested in the culture of small fruits.
The paper embodies the experience of
one who has made success of the bust
ness and knows what he is writing
about
1.-The ground should be prepared the
year previous to planting. 1t should be
rich and free from weeds. Plant pota-
toes or some root crop. Cultivate well
so as to destroy all weeds. Plow or
spade after the crop is off, In the spring
following, when the ground is perfectly
dry, drag and pillow again; then drag
thoroughly. Have your plants on hand,
trimmed. and roots Strengthened. If
for matted rows. plant rows feet apart,
from to IL inches in the row. Strike
your line, take bright spade, strike it
in the ground parallel with your line.
Push it from you, then toward you to
press the soil apart. Have boy or
somebody with you with plant in hand,
roots Strengthened and spread little.
Pull out your spade; let him or her put
the plant in the opening the VIII ole
length of tho root, the crown or top
being little below the surface of the
ground. Thrust your spade about or
4inches from the plant in the ground
again, push once or twice toward the
plant and your plant is set. A man
and boy or girl can plant large patch
in day. BY planting a small patch,
where one person does the work alone.
agarden trowel will answer the purpose
OF aspade. After planting take your
cultrvator and run through between the
rows to loosen up the tramped down
soil. Cultivate often through the sea.
son. Keep clean from all weeds.
When your rows have matted about 9
feet in width cut the runners or keep
them from catching by running YOUR
cultivator through them frequently.
For hill culture plant one and a half to
two feet apart each way and keep all
runners cut. In the Fall when the
ground is frozen, cover with leaves.
cornstalks, or anything that is free from
foul seeds. Uncover in the sprinp ne
soon as the ground is dry enough.
Leave some of the covering between the
rows, to keep the rain from spashing
dirt over the berries, and to mulch the
ground to keep moist. If weeds appear
pull out by hand; don't stir the ground
till after the fruit is off; then cultivate
between the rows to get ready for the
second crop. After the second crop is
picked pillow up your bed. Plant new
bed every spring and treat them as
above stated and you will always have
plenty of Strawberries.
have experimental with great
many varieties, but found many of them
worthless. | would recommend the fol-
lowing varieties, viz: Pistilates, or
Imperfect Blossom Crescent. Man.
chester, and Windsor Chief, Hermaph.
rodites Tor Perfect Blossom) Wilson's.
Charles Downing, Cumberland Tri-
umph, Piper Seeding. Sharpless, and
Kentucky. Where Pistillates (or I'M
perfect Blossom) are planted, every al
ternate row should be hermaphrodite
(or perfect blossom.) Strawberries
seem to be local plant. While some
varieties will do well in one locality.
they may be worthless in other loeali-
ties.
RAsPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRlEs.
Prepare the ground as for strawber-
ries. Plant raspberries in rows 5 to 6
feet apart, and about feet apart in the
rows. Plant in the Fall or Spring. If
planted in the fall all should be covered
up. Stir the ground frequently and
keep free from weeds. Leave but one
or two canes the first year. If plants
are strong three canes may be left. Of
black varieties pinch the canes back
when three feet high; of red varieties
let grow full length. Lay down aud
cover with dirt in the fall In the spIinp
following uncover as soon as the earth
will shake of. which is done by thrust
ing pitohfork under The plant raise up
carefully and shake the dirt off. Drive
stake four feet high to each hill; tie
the canes up with good, soft Irvine; tie
loosely, so as not to crowd the canes